'Goonies' galore in Astoria

You may notice a few more pirates walking the streets this weekend, or perhaps more crossbones scattered around Astoria compared to normal. It was that time of year again for Astoria - the annual Goonies Day.

Gobs of Goonies fans from both near and far flooded in to enjoy a weekend filled with truffle shuffles, treasure hunts, movie screenings and other Goonies-related happenings.

The celebration, organized by the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce, helped unite Goonies groupies in one place to help recognize the film's 29th anniversary of hitting the theaters.

The film first appeared on the big screen June 7, 1985, and drew in an astounding $61 million. To this day, people still enjoy the movie and find any excuse to visit Astoria and the many scenes featured in the film.

Baked Alaska Restaurant kicked the weekend off with a trivia night in its lounge Friday night. The restaurant invited customers to indulge in its two limited-edition pizzas - The Mikey and The Chunk - named after two boys from "The Goonies" movie clan.

In order to participate in the trivia, contestants were asked to pay a $2 cover charge, which would later be pooled together and given to the trivia winner. The participants were asked 20 questions, such as the color of Brand's bandanna, the name of One-Eyed Willy's ship and the number of bullet holes seen in Fratelli's jeep, which was on display outside the Oregon Film Museum for fans to drool on.

The trivia winner, Becki Puljin, traveled to Astoria from Northfield, Minn., for the weekend with her fiance, who had planned the vacation for her. Puljin beat out 27 other contenders and won herself a treasured $54.

It probably helps that she has been watching the film since she was 5 years old, and claims "The Goonies" is a part of her daily routine. She watches the movie at least once a day and says she quotes the movie in everyday life.

"I am the world's biggest Goonies fan," she said dressed in a T-shirt with Sloth's face printed on the front. "I have seen it well over 1,000 times."

And for Puljin, and probably many other fans in attendance at the Columbian Theater Friday night, she watched it for her 1,001 time.

Fans 21 and older were invited to enjoy a screening of the film while sipping on the special edition Truffle Shuffle Stout on tap, commemorating Chunk's famous belly shake.

The beer is "earthy and lovely," said Norma Hernandez, the theater's Friday night bartender. "I have only sold one other type of beer tonight."

Goonies fans were giddy with excitement when Chunk's truffle shuffle scene appeared on screen. Fans raised their beers in a toast.

Saturday, Goonies groupies were encouraged to check out and tour the home from the movie, located at 368 38th St. The home's interior is open only once a year to the public, however, the homeowners can expect many tourists during the summer who stop by to take pictures of the home.

Sandi Preston, the current homeowner, bought the house in 2001 after praying for many years that the home would someday belong to her.

"When I first saw the movie and was living in Southern California, and even before I ever laid eyes on the house, I asked God if he would give me this house," Preston said.

When asked what the movie means to her, she said, "For me I felt like it was, never give up your dreams. If you just wait and you don't give up, you never know when something good is going to happen or how it's going to come about. To me, it was a dream of mine to have (the house) and I got it."

Later in the evening, Goonies fans gathered at Astoria High School to try to beat the record of the most people doing the truffle shuffle at the same time in one location. The turnout was 130 people, which topped last year's record.

Jen Hart and her six children traveled from Portland for the day to explore Astoria and partake in the Goonies events. Growing up in Minnesota, Hart's family rented the movie on VHS from the same drugstore over and over again, until they ultimately broke the tape.

"Will you think I'm crazy if I say that 'The Goonies' brought me to Oregon?" she laughed. "I knew from a very young age that I would someday live out here in Oregon - it just sparks my adventurous spirit."

Two years ago, she made the move with her six children and sister from Minnesota to Oregon.

"We take the kids on adventures for weeks at a time to just get out and explore the world," she said. "We don't watch a lot of TV and my kids don't know much about the movies that are going on right now, but they do know 'The Goonies.'"

Hart and her troop of Goonies fans pay Astoria a visit at least once per month to enjoy its beauty.

"Being here kindles something inside of me and I like it," Hart said.

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